George Michael. Kajagoogoo. No Doubt. Kelly Clarkson. Shania Twain. 10,000 Maniacs. Wings. Counting Crows. Spin Doctors.
The NFL is making some… creative musical decisions inside of Radio City Music Hall today.
Author Archive for faletti
Jacksonville causes near riot… or riles the half-hearted boo-birds, anyway
Published by April 29th, 2007 in 7th Round and Jacksonville Jaguars. 0 CommentsWith pick 251, Jacksonville decided to use up the entire clock, drawing the mild ire of the crowd. When the league announced Jacksonville passed, and that Jacksonville was still on the clock due to owning the next pick, the boos suddenly exploded.
You never know what’s going to set the people off.
Chargers nab Siler, awaken the sleepy NFL Draft crowd
Published by April 29th, 2007 in 7th Round and San Diego Chargers. 0 CommentsFlorida ILB Brandon Siler won a title and left school early to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. Imagine his disappointment at having to wait to hear his name until the latter half of the 7th round today.
On the flip side, the smattering of fans still left at Radio City Music Hall were more than happy to hear his name, cheering him on simply because they were thrilled to hear a name they recognize this late in the draft.
It may sound silly, but for the Chargers, this 7th round pick helps solidify a very good draft. S Eric Weddle will provide the dreamy combo of consistent performance and big plays at key moments, but they gave up a lot (including a 3rd) to move up for him in the 2nd. Fortunately for them, if he’s used correctly, Siler will provide the kind of help usually expected of a mid-round pick. He fits well in a 3-4 defense, primarily because he tackles much better in traffic than in space, and he should become a useful cog in San Diego’s interior LB rotation.
Where are the QBs on the second day?
Published by April 29th, 2007 in 4th Round, 5th Round, 6th Round and 7th Round. 0 CommentsTroy Smith lasted until the end of the 5th round, but, hey, at least he was selected. For a number of quarterbacks, today brought surprise and disappointment as the NFL looked elsewhere on day 2.
We’re halfway through the 7th, and QB Tony Korrodi is still on the board despite an accurate, powerful arm and demonstrable leadership. At 6′3″, 234 lbs., he’s also big enough to play the position.
Tyler Palko is far from a sure thing, but he’s a name QB who could succeed in the right system. Apparently, the NFL disagrees. Jared Zabransky will grace the cover of EA Sports’ NCAA ‘08 but not (yet) an NFL draft slot. Chris Leak won the national championship. Still available.
These guys are all longshots to hit. Still, if QBs are so hard to come by and teams feel pressure to take them as highly as possible in round 1 due to scarcity, why aren’t more teams willing to add a few in the late rounds to see if they hit? Surely there are worse 7th round picks than the names above, and if any of them hit, 31 other teams will be kicking themselves.
Indy: the draft no one’s talking about
Published by April 29th, 2007 in Indianapolis Colts. 0 CommentsIn theory, the defending champ should have a tough time reloading in the draft.
Apparently, the Indianapolis Colts didn’t get the message. Their day 1 draft added a starter and 3 players who should expect plenty of snaps in 2007.
Daymeion Hughes can’t imitate Champ Bailey, but he’s a polished player who will patrol his area in the Cover 2 physically and keep the ball out of the hands of receivers on short and intermediate routes. With the loss of 2 starting CBs, Indy needed a refill at the position. Spending a 3rd was a cheap way to do it.
Word is that the Colts wanted Craig Davis in round 1, but WR Anthony Gonzalez will probably play the role of Brandon Stokely even better than Stokely. Indy slot receivers are asked to run crisp intermediate patterns, and Gonzalez will occupy enough defensive attention to free up their starting widouts. That, or he’ll be more than ready to make the play himself. Gonzalez may not be a likely successor to Wayne or Harrison, but he’s ready to help them during this championship window, and that should take precedence.
In the trenches, both Ugoh and Pitcock will enter the rotation immediately, too. Adding depth up front is just icing on the cake for the loaded Colts.
Year after year, Bill Polian churns out excellent drafts. Along with New England, they deserve to be considered the class of NFL Draft braintrusts. Is it any coincidence they’re the best 2 teams in the league?
Another solid lineman in the 5th
Published by April 29th, 2007 in 5th Round and New England Patriots. 0 CommentsClint Oldenburg, OT, Colorado State, just came off the board to the Patriots. He’s already a stout run blocker, and once he learns how to improve his passing game footwork, he’ll be another Patriots mid-round line pick who develops into a regular contributor.
Steal alert: Clifton Ryan, DT, Mich. State to the Rams
Published by April 29th, 2007 in 5th Round and St. Louis Rams. 0 CommentsThere’s almost no “wow” factor with Clifton Ryan. He doesn’t blow plays up in dramatic fashion or drive fear into the hearts of opposing linemen. But he’s a real blue collar guy in the trenches who holds his ground and can occasionally get enough of a shove to penetrate into the pocket. He has a chance to become a workman-like starter in the NFL, and any 5th rounder with a legit shot at a starting spot — especially one of need a la DT in STL — has to be congratulated as a fine pick.
Interviews with 5th rounders Kevin Boss (NYG) and CJ Gaddis (PHI)
Published by April 29th, 2007 in 5th Round, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. 0 CommentsPhilly and Giants fans who are curious about the latest members of the families should check out The Audible interviews with New York’s 5th rounder, TE Kevin Boss, and Philly’s newest corner, CJ Gaddis.
Early 5th round reactions
Published by April 29th, 2007 in 5th Round, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins. 0 Comments-Aundrae Allison is an absurd steal in the 5th round, especially for a team as WR-starved as the Vikings. He has great hands and adjusts to the ball extremely well once its in the air. A lot of people expected him to rise into the second, but few thought he’d drop to the 5th. Why a team like KC or Tennessee let him fall this far is beyond me. He’s a guy to watch in rookie fantasy drafts; Rice and Allison are both future starters for the Vikes.
-Dallas Sartz has the size and speed to be a starting LB. He just doesn’t seem to want it that badly. The 5th round is perfect place to take a gamble on him and hope you can find a way to help him flip the switch. Gregg Williams might be the right guy to help.
-Steve Breaston will improve Arizona’s return game right away. If he had the eyes for the passing game that he does for the return game, he’d be quite a force. Unfortunately, he doesn’t. But hey, a 5th for a solid returner who can back up a wideout in a pinch makes sense to me.
-People seem surprised Brandon Harrison was drafted at all.
-Other than a few run-ins with the law, Tarell Brown is every bit as good — and possibly more instinctive — as former teammate and top-20 pick Aaron Ross.
OT Allen Barbre: Another Audible alum
Published by April 29th, 2007 in 4th Round and Green Bay Packers. 0 CommentsSmall school prospect and combine workout stud Allen Barbre talked to The Audible about his life and future in the NFL. If he can improve his technique against speed rushers, he has a real chance to make it in the league.
